University of Central Florida
HIM 1990-2015
Open Access
Understanding and achieving brain-based
instruction in the elementary classroom a
qualitative study of strategies used by teachers
2012
Amy Siercks
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UNDERSTANDING AND ACHIEVING BRAIN-BASED INSTRUCTION IN
THE ELEMENTARY CLASSROOM: A QUALITATIVE STUDY OF
STRATEGIES USED BY TEACHERS
by
AMY M. SIERCKS
A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements
for the Honors in the Major in Education
in the College of Teaching, Learning and Leadership
and in the Burnett Honors College
at the University of Central Florida
Orlando, Florida
Fall Term 2012
Thesis Chair: Dr. Roberta Ergle
ABSTRACT
There are many approaches taken by teachers in order to effectively teach students the
information they will need to be successful. One of these approaches is that of brain-based
instruction. No one single definition is the same as another when it comes to brain-based
teaching and learning. Definitions may include incorporating music and movement into lessons,
using techniques to reach both hemispheres of the brain, and differentiating instruction to teach
to the needs of the individual students.
This study takes a closer look at the perspective of teachers when it comes to what brainbased instruction strategies are. Teachers were given a survey to voice their opinions about
brain-based instruction and how they incorporate it into their classrooms. This study gathered
information about how teachers perceive and understand brain-based instruction. The use of
brain-based instruction is quickly becoming vital to the education field. Understanding more
about it will help teachers effectively teach students.
ii
DEDICATION
For my mom and dad. Your support and love encourage me to do my best every day.
For Emmanuel, for his encouragement throughout this entire process. I love you so much.
For the best step-parents in the world, Sherry and Brian, for always being there for me.
For Gabrielle and M.C., for being my second family and always making me laugh.
For Chris, who has been my hero my whole life. Semper Fi, big brother.
For Aunt Kaye and Uncle Jim, for supporting me my whole life even though you are miles away.
For Mrs. Rodriguez and Mrs. Hauff, for being two of the nicest people I know.
For Leah and Minh, thank you for all of those fun-filled drives to Leesburg.
For my friends, thank you for keeping my spirits high throughout this process.
For my niece, Julie. Anything is possible if you work hard and believe in yourself.
For Ms. Walters, for encouraging me throughout my entire UCF career.
For Dr. Ergle, thank you for encouraging me to do my very best. I am so happy to have shared
this experience with you.
iii
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
I would like to thank my committee chair, Dr. Roberta Ergle. This thesis would not have been
possible without you. Thank you for encouraging me to do my best work and being an amazing
mentor throughout this process. I would also like to thank my committee members, Dr. Sherron
Killingsworth Roberts and Dr. Steven Saunders. I appreciate your advice and assistance
throughout this process. Thank you to Cynthia Walters, for seeing the potential in me that I did
not know I had and introducing me to Honors in the Major. I am forever grateful to your advice
throughout my entire University of Central Florida career. To the Leesburg Elementary
Education Cohort, thank you for being so supportive throughout this process. To Kelly Astro and
Denise Crisafi, for being the friendly faces that I see when I walk into the Burnett Honors
College. To the teachers and principal of School A, for helping me successfully complete this
research. Finally, to Mrs. Blackburn and Mrs. Lushear, I learned so much from you both as a
child and I can only hope that I will one day be able to inspire my students like you inspired me
so many years ago.
iv
TABLES OF CONTENTS
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW ........................................................................................ 3
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY .................................................................................................. 9
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS .............................................................................................................. 19
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION........................................................................................................ 31
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION ..................................................................................................... 36
APPENDIX A: ILLUSTRATIONS .............................................................................................. 38
APPENDIX B: HUMAN RESEARCH CURRICULUM COMPLETION REPORT ................. 40
APPENDIX C: FINAL DRAFT OF THE SURVEY ................................................................... 42
APPENDIX D: IRB APPROVAL FORM .................................................................................... 45
APPENDIX E: EXPLANATION FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH ................................................. 47
APPENDIX F: WRITTEN SCRIPT ............................................................................................. 49
REFERENCE LIST ...................................................................................................................... 52
v
LIST OF TABLES
Table 1: Research questions and correlating survey questions ..................................................... 12
Table 2: Background information about each participant............................................................. 17
Table 3: Full definitions provided by the participants regarding brain-based education ............. 20
Table 4: Key words chosen from definitions given by participants ............................................. 22
Table 5: Difficulties faced by teachers when implementing brain-based activities ..................... 28
vi
CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION
Problem
The purpose of education, one might argue, is to teach children to become more efficient
thinkers, making smart social, emotional, and academic decisions (Brown, 2012). The role of the
teacher, then, is to facilitate and encourage this process of learning. To meet the challenge,
educators must have a state-of-the-art understanding of how the brain functions and people learn
(Caine & Caine, 1997). The brain is involved with everything we do at school, and educators
who understand take this fact into consideration in the decision-making process (Jensen, 2008).
The brain is the only organ in the body that sculpts itself from its interactions with its
environment (Wolfe, 2006). The human brain differs from the brains of other species. The
human brain has a larger cognitive area and the ability to use it for high-order thinking.
(Sylwester, 1997). This ability to think critically is highly important when students come to
school.
Teachers challenge students and help them learn how to develop cognitive skills. Brainbased instruction encourages the process of acquiring knowledge and helps students fully utilize
their brains so that they may become successful as adults. This study gives a basis for what
practicing teachers consider to be “brain based.” Understanding their ideas about brain-based
education will help further enhance the field of teaching and learning.
Purpose of this Study
1
The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of how practicing elementary
school teachers understand and perceive effective brain-based strategies and utilize these
techniques in the classroom. The question to be researched is:
A. How do elementary school teachers use what they know about the brain to plan lessons
and teach students?
a. How do teachers understand brain-based learning?
b. How are teachers applying their knowledge of brain-based teaching in their
classrooms?
c. What do teachers find beneficial or difficult about applying brain-based
instruction in their classrooms?
These questions were used to create a survey to discover how elementary school teachers
view brain-based instruction and how they incorporate it into their daily lessons. This study will
give insight into what some teachers think of brain-based education and how it is used in their
classrooms.
2
CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW
Learning is a process of gaining knowledge and experience that can be applied both
academically and practically. Brain-based education approaches learning processes differently
than traditional teaching methods. Brain-based learning is based on the idea that each part of the
brain has a specific function when related to learning. This literature review for this study is
based on three subtopics: the definition of brain-based education, the brain and the brain
structures involved in learning, and the differences between cognitive and brain-based learning
approaches to learning.
The Definition of Brain-Based Education
There are many working definitions of brain-based education. For this study, brain-based
education is best defined as “the engagement of strategies based on principles derived from an
understanding of the brain” (Jensen, 2008, p. 410). Teachers use strategies that they feel
effectively reach all students’ individual needs. Being that all students learn differently, teachers
must use their knowledge of the brain and how it learns to decide upon the strategies they
consider to be brain-based.
Brain-based instruction stems from recognizing that the brain does not take logical steps
down one path like a digital computer but can go down a thousand different paths
simultaneously, like an enormously powerful analog computer (Neve, Hart, Thomas, 1986). The
brain’s ability to multi-task leads educators to ponder the question: how can we effectively teach
students when they may be focused on multiple ideas at a time? Educators must synthesize their
knowledge of the brain and how it best learns in order to answer this question.
3
Illustration 1, Brain/Mind Learning Principles [See Appendix A] outlines the basic
principles that are prevalent in much of the research being done in the field of brain-based
learning (Caine & Caine, 1997, p. 28). This illustration gives the location of many different parts
of the human brain, including the cerebrum, neocortex, corpus callosum, thalamus, pineal gland,
pituitary gland, hypothalamus, amygdala, and hippocampus. Many of these aspects of the brain
are directly involved in the learning process.
The Brain and the Brain Structures Involved in Learning
The brain is a complex organ within the human body and has many functions, which,
among the most important, involves learning. Schools present countless opportunities to affect
students’ brains (Jensen, 2008). The appeal of neuroscience to growing numbers of educators is
not surprising; most people assume, correctly, that our nervous system is a crucially important
locus for learning and skill development, and many would go so far as to suggest that our brain
is, in fact, who we are (Hruby, 2011). People learn in different ways and have very different
learning styles, including visual, auditory, and kinesthetic styles (Guffanti, 2011). Visual
students learn through visual representations, pictures, and written words. Auditory learners do
best when concepts are presented in the form of listening, whether to music or speaking.
Kinesthetic students learn best when they are able to do hands-on activities and move during
learning a concept.
Illustration 2 [See Appendix A] shows the brain stem, limbic structures, and neocortex
(Sprenger, 2002). The brain stem, also known as the reptilian brain, regulates function such as
breathing, heart rate, metabolism, and waking and sleeping cycles. Above the brain stem is the
4
limbic area which controls emotions. This can be very effective with students, to have an
emotional investment in what they are learning.
The next layer of the brain is the cerebrum, which is divided into the right and left
hemispheres. The hemispheres are connected to each other by a band of fibers called the corpus
callosum, which enables communication between the two sides of the brain. The neocortex is the
thin cover of the cerebrum. It is generally referred to as the layer that does the thinking.
The hemispheres of the brain are also divided into lobes. The occipital lobes, at the back
of the brain, process visual information. The temporal lobes on the side, above the ears, process
auditory information and some memory. The parietal lobe, on the top of the brain toward the
back, is in charge of feeling and touch. The frontal lobe, at the front of the brain, deals with
decisions, planning, creativity, and problem solving. The prefrontal area, which is right behind
your forehead, is an important area that deals with emotions, personality, working memory,
attention, and learning (Sprenger, 2002).
The cerebellum, located at the back of the brain was originally thought to just be
responsible for posture and balance, but research suggests that is stores certain memories and
may have other functions as well. Many chemical messengers are responsible for carrying
information in the brain. These chemicals include serotonin, norepinephrine, dopamine,
acetylcholine, endorphins and enkephalins, amino acids, and glutamate (Sprenger, 2002).
These structures of the brain are thought to be the same for all normal developing
students. What is different is the strategies teachers use in order to effectively teach all students.
Teachers’ knowledge of each area of the brain and how these areas relate to learning can affect
how the teachers perceive brain-based education and how they may use it in their classrooms.
5
The Differences Between Cognitive and Brain-Based Learning Approaches
Cognitive learning is a mental process for seeing, memorizing, organizing, processing,
thinking, and solving for particular issues (Madar, Had, Razzaq, & Mustafa, 2011). By contrast,
brain-based teaching and learning takes a holistic approach, looking at teaching developmentally,
socioculturally, and in other broad ways (Caine & Caine, 1995). Brain-based learning takes into
account the whole child by differentiating instruction and creating ways to meet the needs of the
individual students.
Just as goals can be differentiated in terms of their sources, goals can be described in
terms of the type of learning experiences intended. In this respect, we can describe goals as being
concerned primarily with three domains: the development of muscular skills and coordination
(psychomotor), the growth of attitudes of values (affective), or the acquisition of knowledge and
intellectual skills (cognitive) (Eggen, Jacobsen, & Kauchak, 2009). Teachers using brain-based
learning strategies are able to use these three domains in order to effectively teach all students
and give students a deeper understanding of the information being presented.
Traditional learning includes memorizing information in order to be retrieved when
necessary. Brain-based learning stresses the principles that the brain is a parallel processor; it
performs many functions simultaneously (Caine & Caine, 1995). This idea of the brain being a
parallel processor reinforces the definitions of brain-based research, which stresses the fact that
the brain is focused on multiple ideas and concepts at any given moment.
Brain-based theory provides a sharper and deeper concept of what learning is and of how
it occurs in humans (Neve, Hart, Thomas, 1986). There are many applications to brain-based
learning, many provided by top educational publishers, such as Kagan, Pearson, and MacMillan.
6
These resources are available to teachers through Internet tools, programs, and books designed to
help educators better understand a brain-based approach to education. These publishers are able
to provide creative and innovative approaches to brain-based learning to help teachers reach all
students. Although many of the companies provide these resources to teachers, they have very
different approaches in terms of what they consider to be “brain-based.”
Kagan structures include movement, interaction among students, and hands-on
manipulative. The movement and interaction, which are characteristic of Kagan structures,
increases breathing rate and heart rate which in turn increases blood and oxygen supply to the
brain (Kagan, 2001). Pearson and MacMillan are publishers who offer many resources
concerning brain-based information for practicing teachers. Another resource to be considered
when regarding brain-based approaches to education is that of Whole Brain Teaching, which
began in 1999 by Chris Biffle, Jay Vanderfin, and Chris Rekstad, all of whom are teachers in
California. At the root of Whole Brain Teaching is a large amount of highly structured,
educational tomfoolery. Students learn the most when they are having fun. Whole Brain
Teaching classrooms are full of task-focused laughter. Humor and games are used to increase the
number of times students repeat core information and practice basic skills (Biffle, 2012).
Students are engaged through comical, yet educational, interactions with the teacher and their
peers. It is a very student-centered approach, creating accountability for the learners.
If children are literally formed by their experiences, not just by memorization, then a
teacher who knows how to fascinate students into wanting to write, read, play music, and
discover the physical world can create miracles (Caine & Caine, 1997). Prior to Dewey, the aim
of education in the United States was facilitating a student’s acquisition of knowledge. With the
7
appearance of Dewey’s theories and reflective method, educators became increasingly interested
in students’ ability to think about information and engage in realistic problem solving (Eggen,
Jacobsen, & Kauchak, 2009). This realistic problem solving reflects students’ abilities to
understand concepts and use higher order thinking skills. Brain-based education, teaching to the
whole child, helps students accomplish this.
Summary
In summary, the literature review provides the background information about brain-based
education, its definition, and why it is at the forefront of education today. Many publishing
companies are heading towards a more brain-based approach, focusing on the whole child, rather
than the traditional cognitive model. Teachers are now challenged to find ways to reach every
individual student in order to effectively teach all students.
There is much information to consider when discussing brain-based education and its
impact on student success. The literature review provides encouragement for the use of brainbased education in the classroom setting and gives a broad description of how it many be used in
the classroom. Differentiated instruction is an approach being used to meet students differing
needs based on the three domains of learning. Movement is another tool that is being used to
properly motivate students and encourage learning in a new and engaging way.
8
CHAPTER 3: METHODOLOGY
Subjects
This qualitative study took place in a Title 1 school located in central Florida, School A,
and focused on 16 participants, all currently teaching at School A, that replied to a survey given
in May of 2012. Of the 16 participants included in the study, 3 were male and 13 were female.
The ages of the participants ranged from 21 years of age to 50 years of age. Years of experience
of those teachers surveyed varied from 1 year to 21 years. Ethnicities of the participants included
Caucasian, African American, Asian, Hispanic, and Asian/Hispanic. Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4
represent background information about the 16 participants in this study.
Genders
Male
19%
Female
81%
Figure 1: Genders of all participants included in this study.
9
Asian/Hispanic
6%
Ethnicities
Hispanic
19%
White
44%
Asian
12%
African
American
19%
Figure 2: Ethnicities of all participants in this study.
Years of Teaching Experience
Number of Teachers
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
1 to 5
6 to 10
11 to 15
Years of Teaching Experience
16 to 20
Figure 3: Years of teaching experience of all participants included in this study.
10
Grade Level Taught
7
Number of Teachers
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Pre-K
First
Second
Third
Fourth
Fifth
K-5
ESE
Figure 4: Grade levels taught by the participants included in this study.
Instruments
The key instrument used in this qualitative study was an eleven question survey [See
Survey in Appendix C] which involved multiple choice as well as free response and ordering
questions. The survey was developed based on committee input and approval as well as the
research question being addressed. Hard copy surveys were given to approximately 60 teachers
at School A and 16 were returned to the office. The 16 surveys were picked up from School A
after approximately 2 weeks.
The variables involved in this survey that were considered are gender, age, years of
experience, professional development opportunities, professional learning communicates, and
the involvement of principals and/or curriculum resource teachers.
The questions on the survey were generated using the research questions as a guide.
11
Table 1: This table illustrates how the research questions were used as a guide to generate the questions used
on the survey.
Research Questions
Correlating Survey Questions
From your understanding of brain-based teaching, circle
which teaching strategy you consider to be brain-based.
a. Introducing new concepts to students by saying the
concept aloud and providing visual models
b. Using alternative forms of assessment including,
but not limited to, the use of portfolios, journals,
and performance evaluation
How do teachers understand brainbased learning?
c. Integrating movement into your lessons
In 2-5 sentences, please define your understanding of
“brain-based education” to the best of your abilities.
If you wanted to learn more about brain-based learning
principles, what resource or resources would you use?
a. Online
b. Other colleagues
c. Professional books
d. Professional learning community study group
What are some strategies that you use in your classroom
that you might consider as brain-based activities or
How are teachers applying their
procedures?
knowledge of brain-based teaching What percentage of time is devoted to brain-based learning
in their classrooms?
in your classroom?
How do you use your knowledge of the brain to plan
lessons that involve brain-based strategies?
What do teachers find beneficial or What is difficult about implementing a brain-based activity
difficult about applying brain-
or strategy?
12
based instruction in their
What is your belief that the incorporation of brain-based
classrooms?
learning techniques has a positive or negative effect on
student achievement? Use the scale below. (0 being
negative, 11 being positive)
Please explain your rating. (From the above question)
Procedures
Discovering what practicing educators consider to be brain-based education practices was
the basis for this study; therefore, an eleven question survey was created and approved by the
thesis committee, however, in order to disseminate the survey the following steps were taken. I
completed the CITI Collaborative Institutional Training Initiative in order to move forward with
my Institutional Review Board (IRB) approval [See the Human Research Curriculum
Completion Report in Appendix B].
Questions asked on the survey related back to the main research question and the related
subquestions being asked. Since brain-based instruction is a fairly new term used in education,
the survey included a brief overview of what research had been discovered in order to give the
participants information that they may require to make an informed decision regarding their
answers. Basic demographic information questions, including grade level taught, grade levels
taught in the past, certifications, years of teaching experience, content area taught, ethnicity, age,
and gender were asked in order to gain background knowledge about the participants and explore
any linkage. When completed, the final draft of the survey was examined and approved by my
committee chair and the committee members [See the Survey in Appendix C].
13
The next step of the research process was to get the approval of School A’s principal and
the Director of Evaluation and Accountability for the school district. I provided the following
information to the school district for approval: an official letter from the university requesting to
conduct research, a copy of IRB approval from the university, name and contact information for
lead person conducting the research (and faculty advisor), the topic of the research study, a
detailed description of the study, information the research is requesting to access, subjects for
study, dates of study, research methods and procedures, risks and benefits to subjects, copies of
consent forms, copy of survey instruments and researcher’s credentials and qualifications.
In order to complete the requirements for the district, I received IRB approval from the
University of Central Florida [See IRB Approval in Appendix D]. In order to accomplish this, I
created an iRIS account and added a new study. After consulting the IRB office for assistance, I
submitted the information required, including the application, the protocol for the study, and the
exemption forms required to avoid the use of written consent forms, since the survey was
confidential. Because I am currently an undergraduate student, the Honors in the Major
Coordinator for the College of Education, Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, was chosen as the
Principle Investigator and I was listed as the Co-Investigator for the study. After receiving IRB
approval, I submitted all of the necessary documentation to The Director of Evaluation and
Accountability by email and received approval.
I contacted the principal about speaking at a faculty meeting in order to meet the
exemption requirements placed forth by IRB. The principal informed me concerning the date and
time of the final faculty meeting of the school year and gave me permission to speak to the staff.
I arrived at School A with copies of the survey, a manila envelope to place completed surveys in,
14
and copies of the explanation of exemption forms [See the Explanation for Exempt Research in
Appendix E], and the script that I used in order to obtain consent without having the participants
fill out any written documentation [See the Written Script used in Appendix F]. I read the script
and waited until the faculty meeting was finished to pass out the surveys to the staff. The
principal informed them the completed surveys were to be placed in the designated manila
envelope that was to be left with the school secretary. The teachers were told they had one week
to finish the surveys and turn them in to the school secretary.
After one week, I returned to the school after the school day was finished in order to pick
up any completed surveys. Three completed surveys were turned in, so I emailed the principal
asking if I could come to School A on June 11, the last day teachers were at the school, to
distribute any additional surveys and to collect completed ones. I arrived at School A on the
morning of June 11 and the school secretary led me to the media center where the faculty
meeting was held in order to obtain more surveys. After a little over an hour, I received 13
additional surveys for a total of 16 surveys.
Analysis
For this qualitative study, data was collected using a survey. The data was analyzed
using the constant comparison method (Glaser & Strauss, 1967). These analysis methods, based
in grounded theory methods, included initial coding and categorization of data, memo writing,
and focused coding using inductive logic (Birks & Mills, 2011).
I labeled the participants with the numbers 1-16. I created an Excel spreadsheet
containing the background knowledge obtained through the surveys. This spreadsheet helped me
15
group the participants into the following groups: age, gender, ethnicities, years of experience,
content areas taught, and grade level taught. This spreadsheet yielded the following results as
shown in Table 2.
16
Table 2: This table details the background information about each participant.
1
2
Grade Level
Taught
3rd
5th
Grade Levels
Taught in Past
6th Grade Math
4th
3
3rd VE
-
Participant
Pre-K, K, 1st,
2nd, 5th, ASD,
Computers
K, 2nd, 3rd, 4th,
5th, Music
4
2nd VE
5
5th
6
5th
5th
7
5th
-
8
K-5
9
4th
Pre-K, Middle,
High
4th
10
4th
5th
11
5th
5th, 6th, 7th
12
ESE,
K-8th
Certifications
K-6
ESOL
ESE K-12,
Elem. Ed K-6
K-6, ESE,
ASD, ESOL,
Pre-K
Years of Teaching
Experience
2.5
4
Content Area Taught
Ethnicity
Age
Gender
All Content
All Content
White
White
African
American
42
-
Male
Female
22
Female
1
Reading and Math
16
Reading and Math
White
42
Female
15
All Content
African
American
39
Female
6
All Content
Asian
29
Female
2
All Content
White
30
Female
Phys. Ed
10
Physical Ed
37
Male
K-6, ESOL
Masters in
Elem. Ed
Elem. Ed K-6,
Science and
LA 5-9
Elem. Ed K-5,
5
All Content
African
American
White
28
Female
1
All Content
White
40
Male
6
All Content
White
28
Female
19
ESE
Asian
43
Female
Elem. Ed K-6
Elem Ed K-6,
ESOL
Elem. Ed K-6,
Reading,
ESOL
17
Resource
ESE K-8,
ESOL,
Reading,
M-BED
13
2nd
2nd, 3rd
K-6, ESOL
6
All Content
14
1st
1st
6
All Content
15
4th
4th, 5th
Elem. Ed K-6
Elem. Ed K-6,
ESE K-12,
ESOL,
Reading
Asian/
Hispanic
Hispanic
2.5
Reading, Writing, Math
16
Pre-K
-
6
Pre-K, ESE
ESE K-12,
Pre-K-3, ESOL
18
28
Female
29
Female
Hispanic
46
Female
Hispanic
30
Female
CHAPTER 4: RESULTS
Through the process of analyzing data within the surveys, I was able to categorize the
participants into groups concerning different questions on the survey. These groups are designed
to explore the research questions being addressed.
How do teachers understand brain-based learning?
The first question in the survey was a multiple choice question in order to get an idea of
general ideas that teachers may have about brain-based teaching. The question stated:
From your understanding of brain-based teaching, circle which teaching strategy you consider to
be brain-based.
a. Introducing new concepts to students by saying the concept aloud and providing visual
models
b. Using alternative forms of assessment including, but not limited to, the use of portfolios,
journals, and performance evaluation
c. Integrating movement into your lessons
The results from this question are as follows in Figure 5. Integrating movement into lessons
was the most popular strategy that teachers consider to be brain-based with alternative forms of
assessment as a close second. Very few teachers felt that the use of visual aids during verbal
lecture was brain-based.
19
Teaching Strategies that Teachers
Consider to be Brain-Based
6%
Introducing new concepts to
students by saying the concept
aloud and provide visual models
Using alternative forms of
assessment
50%
44%
Integrating movement into your
lessons
Figure 5: Teaching strategies that teachers consider to be brain-based
When teachers were asked to articulate their understanding of brain-based instruction in
written form, the answers varied greatly from one another. Participant 8, the Physical Education
teacher, did not provide a definition.
Table 3: The full definitions that the participants provided regarding brain-based education.
Participant
1
Definition
“Brain-based education happens when the student explores a topic using their own thoughts
that are guided by the teacher. Students are free to explore different avenues of thought to
deepen their understanding of the topic.”
2
“Movement to help relieve stress on the brain.”
3
“Brain-based learning is closely related to how ESE teachers differentiate instruction.
Through the use of various strategies such as technology, manipulatives, and visual learning
styles.”
4
“Brain-based education can be through music, visual aids, and manipulatives. It is
20
differentiating instruction for each child.”
5
“I believe that brain based education involves studies performed to determine what best
works for children to learn new concepts.”
6
“It is teaching the students with their learning style in mind. Students are given choice of
their learning, activities, and assessments.”
7
“Brain-based education allows students to choose what method they wish to choose to learn
and demonstrate their learning of content.”
8
Blank response
9
“Brain-based education looks at the actual functions of the brain and what’s going on as
students are learning. It focuses on having students in their ‘optimal learning range’ by
adjusting the environment.”
10
“Brain based is used for non verbal instruction. It also helps diffuse certain situations as well
as get the students to move around.”
11
“Brain based education incorporates all aspects of the brain and student to maximize student
learning.”
12
“Brain based education incorporates whole child and uses a lot of metacognition strategies
and scaffolding.”
13
“Brain-based education incorporates the use of the whole brain so tapping into different
modalities.”
14
“All students own their knowledge and understanding.”
15
“Brain-based education begins with effective use of classroom environment, instruction, and
curriculum strategies for student engagement. This also helps manage stress actions for all
and promotes a learning atmosphere which fosters creativity.”
16
“Using movement of the body while learning.”
From these definitions, I was able to code the responses and create larger headings in
order to group specific participants together. Only 15 participants are displayed because
Participant 8 did not provide a definition. Key words were chosen out of each of the participants’
21
given definitions and they were grouped together based on the words that I felt similarly related
to each other. Table 4 details how the participants were grouped. The groups are further
illustrated in Figure 6.
Table 4: Participants and key words chosen from given definitions about brain-based education
Participant
Key Words Chosen from Definition
1
“Free to explore”
2
“Movement”
3
“Differentiate instruction”
4
“Differentiating instruction”
5
“Determine what best works for children”
6
“Learning style”
7
“Allows students to choose”
8
Blank response
9
“Actual functions of the brain”
10
“Move around”
11
“Aspects of the brain”
12
“Whole child”
13
“Whole brain”
14
“Own their knowledge”
15
“Classroom environment”
16
“Movement”
22
Teachers' Definitions of Brain-Based
Education
4
3
2
1
0
Figure 6: Teachers' definitions of brain-based education
Differentiating instruction and incorporating the different aspects of the brain were the
most popular responses when teachers were asked to give their own definitions of “brain-based
education,” with each group having four teachers. Effective use of the classroom environment
and students having to own their knowledge were the least popular, with one teacher in each of
these.
The final question in this category was: If you wanted to learn more about brain-based
learning principles, what resource or resources would you use? You may choose more than one.
This was a multiple-choice question with an opportunity for the participants to write in an
“Other” category. The choices provided were: online, other colleagues, professional books, and
professional learning community study group. Participant 2 did not provide an answer for this
question.
23
O = Online; OC = Other Colleagues; PLC = Professional Learning Community;
PB = Professional Books; CW = Conferences and Workshops
Resource(s) That Teachers Would Use to
Learn More About Brain-Based Learning
Principles
O and OC
7%
OC and PLC
7%
27%
13%
O
O, OC, PB
O, OC, PLC
7%
6%
13%
13%
7%
PB
O and PLC
O, OC, PB, PLC
O, PB, CW
Figure 7: Resource(s) that teachers would use to learn more about brain-based learning principles
The most popular resource that teachers indicated they would use to learn more about
brain-based learning principles were online and other colleagues. Only one teacher responded
indicating that he would not use an online resource at all and would only rely upon professional
books to learn more information.
How are teachers applying their knowledge of brain-based teaching in their classrooms?
The first question in the category regarding applications of brain-based teaching asked
teachers to provide examples of strategies that they use in their classrooms that they consider to
be brain-based. Certain participants belonged to more than one group, but based on their
answers, I clustered them according to the group that catered to their most mentioned response.
24
For example, Participant 13 mentioned color-coding thinking maps, playing music, hand
movements, Kagan structures, and sign language as strategies used as brain-based strategies.
Being that she mentioned both movement and music, I grouped her with that category. Figure 8
represents the numbers of participants that fall into each group.
The most popular strategies that teachers use in their classrooms are the use of movement
and/or music in their lessons, followed closely by differentiating instruction. Kagan structures
and manipulatives came in third, tied with two teachers in each. Teachers that had responses that
were unique to themselves were a 60 second relaxation period, trial and error, computer based,
and thinking maps.
Different Strategies Used by Teachers
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
Figure 8: Different strategies used by teachers
25
Percentage of Time Devoted to BrainBased Learning
9
8
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
0
0-25%
25-50%
50-75%
75-100%
Figure 9: Percentage of time devoted to brain-based learning
The participants were asked to identify what percentage of time is devoted to brain-based
learning in their classrooms. The percentages were grouped into 0-25%, 25-50%, 50-75%, and
75-100%. Figure 9 represents the percentage of time that the participants determined they spend
on brain-based education.
A total of 8 teachers responded indicating that 50-75% of their class time is dedicated to
brain-based learning. This was the most popular, followed by four teachers indicating 25-50%
and two teachers indicating 0-25% and 75-100%, respectively.
26
The final question in this category was: How do you use your knowledge of the brain to
plan lessons that involve brain-based strategies? This was an open-ended question and I was
therefore able to code their answers based on similar key words throughout their responses. The
results are indicated in Figure 10. The majority of teachers indicated that, when planning lessons,
movement is important when incorporating brain-based strategies. This was followed closely by
the use of Kagan structures and differentiating activities, each with three participants in each
category. Professional development and based on the students’ skill level tied for third, each with
two participants indicating this as a tool during lesson planning. One teacher indicated that the
use of the curriculum pacing map was very important when planning lessons involving brainbased strategies.
Lesson Planning Involving Brain-Based
Strategies
4.5
4
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Curriculum
Pacing Map
Kagan
Strategies
Differentiate
Activities
Movement
Professional Based on Skill
Development
Level
Figure 10: Lesson planning involving brain-based strategies
27
What do teachers find beneficial or difficult about applying brain-based instruction in their
classrooms?
The next group is the difficulties teachers have when implementing a brain-based activity
or strategy. A large majority of teachers had the same response even though they did not confer
with each other during the survey. Table 5 represents the results when asked about the difficulty
that the participants have when implementing brain-based activities in their classrooms. The
most popular responses given about difficulties faced by teachers when implementing brainbased activities were that of time and/or materials and planning, with four teachers in each.
Teaching the concept, students’ behavior, and lack of knowledge followed, with two teachers in
each. Involving all students was the least popular response, with one teacher indicating it as a
difficulty.
Table 5: Difficulties faced by teachers when implementing brain-based activities
Difficulties Teachers Have When Implementing Brain-Based Activities
Teaching the
Concept
Time and/or
Materials
Students’
Behavior
Planning
Lack of
Knowledge
Involving All
Students
2
4
2
4
2
1
The final questions in this category go together as one is a rating question and the other
asks for an explanation of the rating. The first asks: What is your belief that the incorporation of
brain-based learning techniques has a positive or negative effect on student achievement. Use the
scale below.
Negative
Positive
28
Positive or Negative Effect on Student
Achievement
6%
6%
Rating of a 6
Rating of a 7
44%
Rating of an 8
38%
Rating of a 9
Rating of an 11
6%
Figure 11: Positive or negative effect on student achievement
Based on this scale, 0 being the most negative and 11 being the most positive, Figure 11
illustrates the number of teachers and the rating that they gave on the above scale. The most
popular response given was that of a rating of 11, indicating that brain-based education has a
highly positive effect on student achievement. This response was followed closely by a rating of
a nine, also indicating a positive effect on student achievement. The least popular ratings were
that of ratings of six, seven, and eight, indicating mid- to high positive effect on student
achievement.
The previous question was expanded by a follow-up question, asking for teachers to
explain the rating that they gave it. Of the 16 participants, Participants 8, 11, 13, and 14 did not
respond to this question. Figure 12 represents the other participants’ rating explanations. The
most popular responses were that of indicating the importance of deepening understanding and
29
positive student learning. Choice in learning and nonverbal communication were tied as the
second explanation, each with two teachers. The least popular responses were helping with all
students and the teacher being interested in learning more about brain-based education.
Rating Explanation
3.5
3
2.5
2
1.5
1
0.5
0
Deepen
Understanding
Positive Student
Learning
Help with All
Students
Choice in
Learning
Teacher is
interested in
learning more
Figure 12: Rating explanation from previous question
30
Nonverbal
Communication
CHAPTER 5: DISCUSSION
The basis for this study was to determine how elementary school teachers use what they
know about the brain in order to plan lessons and teach students. For this study, brain-based
education is best defined as “the engagement of strategies based on principles derived from an
understanding of the brain” (Jensen, 2008, p. 410). Teachers use strategies that they feel
effectively reach all students’ individual needs.
Understanding how teachers perceive brain-based education was essential in order to
discover how they implement it into their classrooms and what they find beneficial or difficult
about implementation. There were overwhelming responses from teachers stating that brainbased education incorporates movement as well as teachers stating that differentiated instruction
was brain-based.
When given choices asking that the participants best identify brain-based strategies, over
half the teachers said integrating movement into their lessons was their idea of brain-based
instruction. When teachers were asked to give a free response answer about the strategies that
they use in their lessons that they consider to be brain-based, the majority of teachers also
referred to movement. Based on the results of this survey, the majority of teachers understood
brain-based instruction to mean teaching concepts with the strategy of physical movement.
Movement
The majority of teachers understand brain-based education to mean that they are
integrating some sort of movement into their lessons. Movement was mentioned more by
teachers than any other strategy throughout the survey. Movement was also shown to have been
31
the most popular strategy that teachers use when considering their knowledge of the brain to plan
lessons.
A strategy mentioned by six teachers, Kagan structures, incorporates a great deal of
movement into the delivery of information. Many of the teachers from this study mentioned
Kagan strategies, which are taught by the Kagan company at professional development seminars
in school districts across the United States.
Four teachers specifically mentioned the aspects of the brain and how that knowledge
affects their lesson planning in regards to brain-based education. Many of those that mentioned
movement stated that it increases student achievement because students need to be moving
around in order to retain information.
Participant 2 defined brain-based education to be “movement to help relieve stress of the
brain.” Participant 10 states, “brain-based is used for non verbal instruction. It also helps diffuse
certain situations as well as get the students to move around.”
Incorporating movement into their lesson plans, teachers found students to be more
engaged in the learning process. Movement can be seen as addressing a particular learning style,
which ties movement with differentiating instruction as a broader topic.
Differentiating Instruction
Second only to movement was the mention of differentiating instruction when
understanding what teachers consider to be “brain-based.” Differentiating instruction in this
context incorporates the understanding of many different learning styles, kinesthetic, visual, and
auditory, and how addressing those individual learning styles is considered to be brain-based.
Teachers explain that, through the use of differentiating instruction, they are able to determine
32
what strategies work best for each individual student. Participant 4 explained in her definition
that “brain-based education can be through music, visual aids, and manipulatives. It is
differentiating instruction for each child.” By considering the different learning styles of
students, teachers are able to determine which brain-based strategies work best for all students.
Using alternative forms of assessment was the close second to movement when it came to
teachers identifying what strategy they consider to be brain-based. Participant 7 wrote her
definition as “brain-based education allows students to choose what method they wish to choose
to learn and demonstrate their learning of content.” Participant 1 explained that brain-based
education means that “students are free to explore different avenues of thought to deepen their
understanding of the topic.”
Time Devoted to Brain-Based Teaching
The majority of teachers stated that they use brain-based strategies 50 to 75% of the time.
One of the main difficulties that teachers said that they have when implementing brain-based
activities was the time and/or materials that it takes; thus, insinuating that they feel brain-based
instruction will take more time to teach a concept than teaching more traditionally. The other
difficulty expressed by teachers was that of the planning that goes into creating a lesson they
deem to be “brain-based.” Many mentioned that the two go hand-in-hand, where the time it takes
to plan and deliver a brain-based lesson takes a great deal of time that they do not necessarily
have
Although teachers indicated that they are only able to spend 50 to 75% of their time using
brain-based strategies, all of the teachers surveyed expressed that brain-based education has had
a positive effect on student achievement, when rating on a scale from zero to eleven. Participants
33
8, 11, 13, and 14 did not explain their ratings; but overall, teachers indicated that the positive
aspects of using brain-based instruction includes a deeper student understanding of concepts and
a positive student learning environment.
Gaining More Knowledge
When teachers want to learn more about brain-based instruction, 93% said that they
would use either online alone or combine online with another resource or resources. Only one
teacher, a K-5 physical education teacher that has been teaching 10 years, would rather use
professional books to find more information. Age did not have an impact on professional
development ideas. Most participants would search online to learn more about brain-based
education.
Implications for Teachers and School
Research into brain-based education may increase student achievement and encourage
teachers to think more in depth about lesson planning and implementation of brain-based
strategies. Student achievement can be positively impacted if teachers go to many different
conferences on different ways to incorporate brain-based education. Teachers would benefit from
more professional development on the incorporation of brain-based instruction to help them
overcome the difficulties of planning and time effectiveness.
Future Implications
This limited survey had only 27% of response from the faculty in one elementary school.
Future research is needed on a larger scale for a better understanding of teachers’ perceptions
about brain-based education. Future studies may take into consideration of school population,
diversity, or socio-economic differences. Future research might also include studies of
34
administrative impact on teacher use of brain-based instruction and the impact of professional
development on the understanding and use of brain-based instruction.
35
CHAPTER 6: CONCLUSION
“Every day teachers enter their classrooms with lesson plans, experience, and the hope
that what they are about to present will be understood, remembered, and useful to their students.
The extent that this hope is realized depends largely on the knowledge based that these teachers
use in designing those plans and, perhaps more important, on the instructional techniques they
select during the lessons. Teachers try to change the human brain every day. The more they
know about how it learns, the more successful they can be” (Sousa, 2006, p. 3).
This study posed questions in order to create the survey that was eventually used in order
to gather data for this study. The research questions asked for the purposes for this study were:
A. How do elementary school teachers use what they know about the brain to plan lessons
and teach students?
How do teachers understand brain-based learning?
How are teachers applying their knowledge of brain-based teaching in their
classrooms?
What do teachers find beneficial or difficult about applying brain-based
instruction in their classrooms?
This study offered a new perspective when understanding how teachers perceive and use
brain-based education techniques in their classroom. Many current perspectives of brain-based
education are from the viewpoint of researchers, expanding their knowledge of the brain and
how it functions in order to better understand how to teach children. This study went to the
people who instruct students on a daily basis and asked them to provide their understanding of
the brain and how they use their own knowledge in order to better plan and teach lessons.
36
Sixteen participants were involved in this study and teachers were able to reveal their
perceptions and understanding of brain-based instruction. Results and conclusions were drawn
through the process of coding the data and grouping the participants. Through the use of
movement and/or music, 63% of teachers feel that they are effectively reaching all students
because student achievement seems to be higher when these techniques are being utilized.
Approximately 44% of teachers involved in this study referenced differentiating instruction as a
brain-based strategy that they turn to often when planning lessons and teaching students. The
most difficulties teachers have when implementing brain-based instruction is the planning, time,
and materials that are to be included in brain-based education lessons. In order to learn more
about brain-based education, 93% of teachers included that they would rely on an online
resource to discover more about brain-based education.
37
APPENDIX A: ILLUSTRATIONS
38
Appendix A: Illustrations
Illustration 1 (Sprenger, 2002, p. 18)
Illustration 2 (Caine & Caine, 1997, p. 19)
39
APPENDIX B: HUMAN RESEARCH CURRICULUM COMPLETION REPORT
40
Appendix B: Human Research Curriculum Completion Report
41
APPENDIX C: FINAL DRAFT OF THE SURVEY
42
Appendix C: Final Draft of the Survey
Survey
The purpose of education, one might argue, is to teach children to become more efficient
thinkers, making smart social, emotional, and academic decisions (Brown, 2012). The role of the
teacher, then, is to facilitate and encourage this process of learning. To meet the challenge,
educators must have a state-of-the-art understanding of how the brain functions and people learn
(Caine & Caine, 1997). The brain is involved with everything we do at school, and educators
who understand take this fact into consideration in the decision-making process (Jensen, 2008).
There are currently many working definitions of brain-based education. Multiple
approaches are being made to better define the term “brain-based.” For this study, brain-based
education is defined as: using strategies and activities that utilize all parts of the brain, in order to
help students learn more effectively.
Grade Level Taught:
Grade Levels Taught in Past:
Certifications:
Content Area Taught:
Age:
Years of Teaching Experience:
Ethnicity:
Male/Female:
From your understanding of brain-based teaching, circle which teaching strategy you consider to
be brain-based.
a) Introducing new concepts to students by saying the concept aloud and providing visual
models
b) Using alternative forms of assessment including, but not limited to, the use of portfolios,
journals, and performance evaluation
c) Integrating movement into your lessons
What are some strategies that you use in your classroom that you might consider as brain-based
activities or procedures?
What percentage of time is devoted to brain-based learning in your classroom?
0-25%
25-50%
50-75%
75-100%
Please rank the following to indicate which subject area is easiest and hardest to implement
brain-based learning activities? (1-5 with 1 being the easiest subject and 5 being the hardest
subject to implement brain-based learning activities)
_____ Math
_____ Reading
_____ Writing
_____ Science
_____ History
43
How do you use your knowledge of the brain to plan lessons that involve brain-based strategies?
What are your observations after implementing a brain-based activity?
What is difficult about implementing a brain-based activity or strategy?
What is your belief that the incorporation of brain-based learning techniques has a positive or
negative effect on student achievement? Use the scale below.
Negative
Positive
Please explain your rating.
In 2-5 sentences, please define your understanding of “brain-based education” to the best of your
abilities.
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________
If you wanted to learn more about brain-based learning principles, what resource or resources
would you use? You may choose more than one.
Online
Other colleagues
Professional books
Professional learning community study group
Other: ________________
Please turn in completed surveys to the designated envelope located in the front office.
Thank you very much for your participation.
44
APPENDIX D: IRB APPROVAL FORM
45
Appendix D: IRB Approval Form
46
APPENDIX E: EXPLANATION FOR EXEMPT RESEARCH
47
Appendix E: Explanation for Exempt Research
48
APPENDIX F: WRITTEN SCRIPT
49
Appendix F: Written Script
Written Script
I would like to start by thanking everyone for their time. My name is Amy Siercks and
I’m an undergraduate student pursuing my Bachelor’s of Science degree in Elementary
Education from the University of Central Florida. I’m involved in an undergraduate thesis
writing process called Honors in the Major. This process involves undergraduate students, with
the assistance of their Committee Chair person, researching a topic of their choice and writing a
thesis concerning that topic. The topic that I chose for my research regards brain-based
instruction in the elementary school classroom.
My research centers on you, the teachers, by inviting you to share your knowledge and
experience in the form of an anonymous survey that discusses how you use brain-based
instruction in your classroom. This study is completely voluntary and refusal to participate will
involve no penalty or loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. The purpose of this
research is to understand how elementary school teachers perceive brain-based instruction.
I brought the surveys with me today and I will be collecting them in one week’s time
although you may discontinue participation at any time without penalty or loss of benefits to
which you are otherwise entitled. At your own discretion within the next week, please complete
the survey. Once you have completed the survey, please place it in the designated envelope that
will be located in the front office. After a week, I will come to the front office to collect the
surveys.
If you need to contact me for questions, concerns, or complains about the research, my
phone number is (352) 394-8770 and my email address is [email protected]. If you
50
would prefer to contact someone independent of the research team for questions, concerns,
complaints about the research, to obtain information, or to offer input, the Honors in the Major
coordinator for the College of Education is Dr. Sherron Killingsworth Roberts. Her phone
number is (407) 823-2016 and her email address is [email protected]. All of this
information is also available on the explanation of research form that I will hand out to you at the
end of this speech.
Again, I would like to thank you for your time and I greatly appreciate your knowledge in
order to help me complete this research for my Honors in the Major thesis. Are there any
questions at this time?
51
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